Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draught at the Park location, Summer 2014.
Glassy auburn-cranberry color with some deeper copper hues and a small but fairly well-retained white head atop.
Some peppery, lightly grassy hops in the nose provide dryness while crystal-like malts give light sourdough. This is light and easily balanced by a candi-like sweetness with bits of honey and dry toffee. Some minimal fruitiness (cherry skins, candied orange peel) with a touch of vanilla on the end. No alcohol or flaws.
Dry, hard crystal malts provide their typical iced tea-like flavor but soft and sweet enough base malts add balance while minimal red fruit esters and the same candied orange peel from the nose add complexity. The carbonation feels a bit tighter and while I do see the "not very Belgian" comments as rather true, I’m happier to have no messy/crude esters and be done with it.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draught at Atwater in the Park, not too long after the release, which I believe was Fall 2014.
Deep ruby-tinted auburn-mahogany with a dark beige head and good clarity.
The smoked hops contribute a nicely phenolic, nearly iodine-like salty-smokiness, slightly similar to the Poorboy, but a little more dry and spicy. Some moderate hop notes show very light tropical fruits but mostly orange and lemon. Vanilla and honey laden malts are moderately well-attenuated, but still balance the smoke/phenols quite easily. No alcohol noted, nor flaws.
Dry and salty, at first with a coating, iodine-like Islay-flavor quickly giving way to sweet honey-vanilla as the smoke disappears almost quite fully, only leaving light pepper and ash remants. Caramel and moderate hop bitterness arrive on the finish and the beer could be perhaps a bit more dry, but is nonetheless drinkable and enjoyable, with a soft, malty texture, moderate-to-low carbonation and no alcohol noted.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed (ITP) Fuego from Atwater In the Park Brewery 10 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Draught at Park location, Summer 2014.
Rich golden with sunny orange hues and a white head that is fully dissipating. Good clarity.
Very mild chili notes in the nose, with light black pepper, a touch of sweet dough and bits of honey. Bit of sweat and a touch of toastiness with warming. Not overly aromatic, but seems appropriate for a chili beer.
Pretty middle of the road as far as heat levels. Good slow burn, but it dosent linger too long. Good balance and ample carbonation with soft malt, honeycream and black pepper. Clean, with no alcohol or flaws noted.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4.5
Draught at Park location, Summer 2014.
Lightly hazy soft golden liquid with a small, fairly dense white head that sits at cover.
I like the idea here to do a Belgian fermented version of your golden ale, but the yeast profile seems a bit crude with mostly cotton candy, some light clove and the grainy/biscuity malt character not really helping to soften things. Little no hops, maybe a touch of pepper or herbs.
Same flavor, with some sugary-sweet whitebread and corn notes, lots of cotton candy and lightly fizzy carbonation. Medium light body, clean-ish, but just too much cotton candy and light clove.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed (ITP) GP IPA from Atwater In the Park Brewery 10 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Draught at the brewery grand opening, Summer 2013 or 2012? One of those.
Golden liquid has some slightly stronger beeswax yellows, is clear and topped by a white head with moderate to low retention.
Very floral hop nose is fairly lighthearted and also contains moderate fruitiness (peaches, pears, apples) backed by a good dose of sweet, honey and white dough-like maltiness. Clean, no alcohol noted.
Soft, supple malt texture shows a touch of underfermented sugariness with a stronger than expected bitterness. Fruity and floral hops have just a touch of grapefruit but mostly oranges, lemons and an odd peach-sort of character that I think is the hop flavors and the malt sugars together. Fizzy carbonation detracts and the bitterness dries out the finish significantly. Clean, no alcohol noted.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Draught at the brewery, Summer 2013 and 2014.
Clear, light golden-blonde ale with a wispy white head that fades to a ring.
Cereal grains in the nose, with very dry, grassy hop notes and no alcohol or flaws. Some minerals, hard water, etc...
Very, very straightforward light golden ale, with low hop bitterness/aroma, lots of grainy/biscuity malt character and very good attenuation. Maybe a touch of sharpness? Rather carbonated, though more of the fizzy type of carbonation. Clean, though, and fine for what it is.